Eyal Zamir appointed as 24th IDF Chief of Staff, replacing Herzi Halevi
Incoming chief Zamir says the IDF 'will work to integrate all populations' amid a push for ultra-Orthodox men to enlist • Outgoing chief Halevi said he took responsibility for failures of October 7
In the shadow of the war, the IDF Chief of Staff changeover ceremony took place on Wednesday, modestly and in a limited format due to operational circumstances in accordance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's instructions.
Herzi Halevi removed his uniform, about two years after he entered his position, giving his place to his successor, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. The ceremony took place at the Kirya IDF headquarters instead of at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, without festive ceremonies and only with close participants. Zamir received his ranks from his wife, Orna, and from Netanyahu, as is customary.
The two sernior officers prayed for the peace of IDF soldiers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, led by the Chief Military Rabbi Brigadier General Eyal Karim. After the prayer, a blessing was given by President Isaac Herzog.
Zamir is set to deal with the challenges of rehabilitating the IDF, restoring trust to the people, and preparing for future threats while drawing lessons from the failures of October 7.
In addition, as he enters his role, along with the challenges of the complex war, he will also need to appoint a deputy chief of staff in a short period, and a new commander for the Southern Command instead of Major General Yaron Finkleman, who retired. Zamir has already conducted a series of visits to all war zones over the last two weeks, as part of his transition into the role and to examine the readiness of the IDF in various regions.
Zamir, who served in the IDF for 38 years in a variety of combat and senior command roles, will be the oldest chief of staff in the IDF at the age of 59. In addition, he will be the first officer from the Armored Corps to hold the position since David Elazar in the 1970s.
Until recently, he served as the director general of the Defense Ministry under former minister Yoav Galant and current Defense Minister Israel Katz. In his last position in the IDF, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to that, he filled a series of senior positions, including Commander of the Southern Command, Military Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Commander of the Ga'ash Formation (36th Division).
Zamir grew up in Herzliya and studied at the Herzliya Gymnasium, he later moved to the military boarding school in Tel Aviv. He enlisted in the Armored Corps after the First Lebanon War. He was appointed as the commander of the Southern Command after Operation Protective Edge in 2014, and was responsible for building the defenses in the area.